


Dare to Reach Out

by Star_Going_Supernova



Category: Godzilla: King of The Monsters (2019), Kong: Skull Island (2017)
Genre: First Meetings, Fluff, Gen, Having Someone Who Just Gets You, Picnic on Skull Island, Post-Godzilla: King of The Monsters (2019), Post-Kong: Skull Island (2017), Titans Deserve Better, for being over 3000 words i feel like not much actually happens, in case that wasn't obvious, two first meetings oh my
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-19
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:01:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24276274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Star_Going_Supernova/pseuds/Star_Going_Supernova
Summary: Maddie’s presence is requested at Monarch Outpost 33, which would almost be normal if it wasn’t the outpost for Skull Island. Far be it from her to turn down an adventure, though.
Relationships: Madison Russell & Kong, Madison Russell & Mason Weaver, Mason Weaver & Kong
Comments: 20
Kudos: 79





	Dare to Reach Out

**Author's Note:**

> After watching Kong: Skull Island for the first time, I had a mighty need for Maddie to meet Mason Weaver, so here we are. The movie took place in 1973, and according to the wiki, Mason Weaver was in her 30s then, so she’s in her upper 70s here. Which means she was probably born only a few years before Dr. Serizawa. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

Maddie had to be dreaming, because there was no way, no how those words just came out of her dad’s mouth in that order. If this was reality, there would’ve been a “never” thrown in there somewhere.

“Sorry,” she said with a little frown. “Can you repeat that?”

Her dad sighed, probably guessing where her thought process was. “You heard me. You’re going to Skull Island.”

“I’m going to Skull Island,” she repeated. Nope, it didn’t make any more sense coming from herself.

“Yep. Transport leaves tomorrow.”

“Me. Skull Island. Actually, are we talking about the same Skull Island?” Maddie asked, just to be sure. How was she supposed to know, maybe there was another one out there that was perfectly safe. Her dad’s very tired expression was answer enough. “Okay. Uh, why me?”

For once, she had nothing to do with this. She’d wiggled her way into visiting Monarch outposts around the world, but even she’d never dared to try and get to Outpost 33. Most bases were relatively safe. Skull Island was a deathtrap, plain and simple.

No matter what anyone might imply otherwise—considering her admittedly-reckless behavior in the past—Maddie did not, in fact, have a death wish.

In response to her question, her dad immediately looked frustrated and troubled. “All I know is what they told me. You were asked for.”

Apparently nothing about this conversation was going to make sense to her. “I was _asked for?_ By who?”

“I don’t know. And I don’t know why you, either.” He ran his hand through his hair. “And I wasn’t invited. Apparently, they’re trying something new. I’m sorry, Maddie, but they wouldn’t tell me anything else.”

Maddie stared down at the floor. That didn’t sound good, exactly, but it didn’t necessarily sound bad either. It would’ve sounded shady if they hadn’t talked to her dad first. And though she didn’t have any guesses why she would be asked to go Skull Island, she also didn’t really have a reason to say no.

She shrugged helplessly at her dad. “Then I should probably go pack, huh?”

• • • 

Outpost 33 worked differently from every other outpost Maddie had seen before, mostly because the main base was an aircraft carrier. Since the island itself was so dangerous, they kept a couple small bunkers buried underground for the people actively collecting information. Everyone else stayed on the massive ship.

As interesting as it was to watch the tiny human forms moving around on the runway section, Maddie was more interested in the odd wall-like lightning storm a short distance past the base. She knew what unnatural storms looked like, and that was no everyday rain cloud. Skull Island must’ve been on the other side of it.

“Cool,” she muttered to herself.

She leaned closer to the window as the Osprey began its descent, trying to see if there was a familiar face waiting nearby. The mystery of who would’ve asked for her and why had remained in the forefront of her mind since her dad first mentioned it yesterday. Unfortunately, she’d have to keep wondering a little longer, since the only person who didn’t look like they were part of the landing process was a woman with reddish hair who she definitely hadn’t met before.

Maddie hopped off the Osprey as soon as she was given the all-clear, slinging the strap of her duffle bag over her head as she went. The woman smiled at her and held eye contact, so Maddie headed in her direction after thanking the pilots.

“Madison Russell, right?” the woman asked as she got close. At Maddie’s nod, she held out her hand and said, “Welcome to Outpost 33. My name’s Bethany, and I’ll be helping you with anything you might need while you’re here!”

As much as she wanted to demand answers to her many questions—the _who sent for me_ and _why me_ were obviously at the top of her list, but she had plenty of more practical questions too, like _how long am I going to be here_ and _what exactly am I supposed to do_ —she returned Bethany’s smile and handshake. “Nice to meet you.”

Bethany led her off the runway and gave her a quick tour of the residential area for the civilian side of things. Maddie dropped her bag off in her room as they went.

Luckily, Bethany seemed aware of Maddie’s curiosity, so she kept the history and explanations to a minimum. It wasn’t more than an hour after her arrival that they stopped outside a closed door.

Gesturing at a larger, comfortably furnished room across the hall, Bethany told her, “I’ll be in the lounge, working on a few little things, so come find me once you’re done in there, okay? It’s easy to get lost around here, even for people who’ve spent years in these halls.”

Maddie huffed a laugh. “Yeah, you guys could stand to put little colored arrows on the walls, if not a map every few intersections.”

“Some of us have been trying to get a system like that implemented for _ages,_ ” Bethany said, rolling her eyes. “I swear, I’m about ready to make a bunch of signs myself. Now,” she nodded at the door, “go on.”

With a deep breath, Maddie went inside. The room she entered was divided by a crooked curtain. The section closest to the door was set up as an office of sorts, with lots of pictures and trinkets littering the desk and file cabinets. It was also empty, but sounds of movement further in told her she wasn’t alone.

“Hello?” Maddie called as she stepped away from the door.

The edge of the curtain was pulled aside, revealing an older woman with graying blonde hair and a few wrinkles. She was dressed more like a field agent than someone who preferred their nice, safe office environment, with a button-up hanging open over a practical sleeveless shirt. Like Maddie, this woman had chosen loose capris with many pockets instead of jeans, considering the warm, humid temperatures. Even their boots were similar.

Maddie couldn’t help but grin. She knew the look of someone who wasn’t afraid of leaving the beaten path.

“Madison Russell!” the woman exclaimed, sounding genuinely happy. “It’s so good to meet you!” She came forward and took Maddie’s hand in both of hers, clasping it between them instead of shaking it. “I knew as soon as I saw that footage you’d be perfect for this little endeavor of ours.”

“Sorry, what footage? And—does that mean you’re the one who asked for me?”

“Yes, I was.” The woman released her hand and stepped back. “Here, I’d like to show you something.”

Beyond the curtain, the room was set up as a darkroom, though the red lights were off. Pictures hung off clotheslines in tidy rows, just high enough that she didn’t quite need to duck beneath them. There was equipment all over the place, and a small section on a bench against the wall seemed dedicated to old fashioned cameras.

“My name is Mason Weaver,” the woman said. “But please, call me Mason.”

Maddie nodded. “I mostly go by Maddie, but I don’t mind either way.”

Mason smiled as she turned on a small TV tucked in a corner. “I’ve been with Monarch for quite some time now, Maddie, and I’ve seen a lot in my years. I understand you’re rather familiar with Monarch yourself?”

“Second gen,” she replied as Mason began to fiddle with her phone.

“Wonderful. Then you know most—not all, but most—of our people are split into one of two groups. We have the military sort and the scientist sort. A generalization, to be sure, but not a wholly inaccurate one. It’s either kill them or study them. The Titans, I mean.”

It sounded awful put like that, but Maddie knew Mason wasn’t entirely wrong. Monarch’s purpose was to keep track of the Titans, learn about them, and stop them if necessary.

She must’ve made a face, because Mason patted her shoulder and said, “It does the Titans a disservice, really, treating them like common animals—or worse, because they’re so feared.”

“Yeah,” she said, because there wasn’t much else to say. “But that doesn’t explain what you want me for.”

Mason’s eyes shone brightly as she pressed something on her phone’s screen and stepped back without a word.

On the TV, a very familiar scene began to play out. The chaos of Mothra’s hatching. It was weird to watch an event Maddie had lived through from a different angle, and even though Maddie already knew what happened, she found herself captivated.

It’d only been two years or so since, but twelve-year-old Maddie looked so different as she ran out on the catwalk to join her mom. Two years, and everything that had happened since that day, had changed Maddie.

She watched her younger self fearlessly lean out over the torn edge of the platform to press her palm against Mothra’s face.

Hands landed gently on her shoulders as the footage began to loop, never showing the gruesome minutes that followed. “There are plenty of people who wouldn’t mind touching a Titan,” Mason said quietly. “They’d do it for research, to say they’d done it, perhaps the chance to cause harm or take something from them. But to do so simply for the joy of it? For the awe?”

Past Maddie’s face lit up at Mothra’s touch.

“Maddie. Outsiders and this island have had a rocky relationship for the past fifty years. We’re trying to change that, but we’re facing a problem—humans take comfort in being armed around dangerous creatures. But that's no way to foster goodwill. It's why I’d like to introduce you to Kong.”

Turning away from the TV, Maddie stared at Mason, who was wholly serious. “Me?” she asked.

“If you’re okay with it, yes. There would be no guards. No guns. Humans have hurt him too much already.”

To Maddie, this made perfect sense. It occurred to her, after she shrugged and said, “Of course that’s okay,” that other people probably found the idea terrifying—mostly because Mason laughed and shook her head in what seemed to be amazement.

“I suppose I refused to get my hopes up,” Mason told her. “It’s still early in the day, since I didn’t have to work to convince you, so how do you feel about going now?”

And, well, who was Maddie to refuse an adventure?

• • • 

Bethany had been more than happy to let the crew who would transport them to the island know that they would be leaving as soon as possible. She wouldn’t be joining them, but she wished them luck before heading off.

Mason told her how they used to take helicopters through the storm, but these days, they used submarines to achieve a much less bumpy ride. It didn’t matter either way to Maddie. She spent enough time underwater not to mind feeling a little closed in, and she’d stood in the middle of the worst of the worst lightning storms.

She followed Mason to their seats, each carrying a small backpack filled with basic hiking supplies. They were the only passengers making the trip, and would be returned to the aircraft carrier before nightfall, which apparently made being on Skull Island even more dangerous.

“In the interest of being honest,” Maddie said once the submarine had started moving, “Mothra’s not the only one. She was just the first.”

Mason looked downright delighted. “And how many Titans have you properly met, then?” 

“Kong’ll be the fifth I’ve touched, if I do, but just within throwing range? Seventh.”

The older woman leaned closer. “You get it, then, don’t you? You’ve seen it, in their eyes.” Mason shook her head. “Joining Monarch all those years ago was a bit impulsive on my part, but I haven’t regretted it. Especially not when I imagine what might’ve happened here if someone who didn’t _understand_ had taken over…”

“The Titans don’t hate us,” Maddie said. “I think a lot of people believe they do, or that they’re destined to destroy us or something. But that’s not—they’re so _kind_ if you give them a chance, but they defend themselves just like anyone would if someone started shooting at them. Their emotions are so obvious if you bother to pay attention, and I hate that some people still think they’re nothing more than mindless beasts.”

She took a deep breath and slowly let it out. “If they wanted us dead,” Maddie whispered, “we would all be dead.”

Mason, when Maddie turned to face her, looked fiercely validated. “Oh, but you are a gem,” she said with something like pride, or satisfaction. “It’s not often I find someone who gets it. Or at least, someone who gets it and still loves them.”

Now that, Maddie could definitely relate to. “Yeah. My dad gets it, kinda, but he’s still wary. I don’t blame him, really. I just think some people see it as choosing sides, though.”

“Sounds about right,” Mason said, leaning her head back against the wall. “I’ve known too many people like that. Humans or Titans. One or the other.”

“Not everyone’s like that.” Maddie thought about the people of Castle Bravo who were not only open to learning, to understanding, but who were shaking free of their old fears. She thought about her dad, who made the choice to forgive. She thought about Dr. Serizawa, who had loved and believed in the Titans enough to die for one. “There are more like us than ever.”

“I’m very happy to hear that. Skull Island’s other inhabitants certainly do nothing to help Kong’s general image.”

“Well,” Maddie said, “that’s what we’re here for, right?”

• • • 

They settled on top of a rocky cliff edge overlooking a grassy valley. Since this was in the middle of what was more or less Monarch territory, the chance of something appearing to strike them down was low.

Sitting across from each other with sandwiches and a bag of chips each, they passed the time by exchanging stories. Mason had started while they were making the climb, telling Maddie all about the first time she’d ever been on Skull Island. When it was her turn, Maddie recounted Mothra’s much less disastrous second hatching.

It came almost as a surprise when Mason glanced out over the valley, smiled, and said, “Look, Maddie.”

She did. Coming towards them at a sedate pace was Kong.

“He’s so small!” Maddie said. She’d seen a picture or two before, but they hadn’t prepared her for how little he would be in person. The only other Titan she’d ever seen that she could say with confidence was smaller was Mothra, but then, Mothra had enormous wings that certainly made her seem larger.

Mason laughed as she stood. “I understand he’s certainly shorter than most Titans, though I must admit, I’ve never heard that reaction before.”

“Sorry, it’s just—Godzilla’s gotta be at least twice as tall and then some.”

Scrunching her face up a little, Mason appeared to try to imagine that. “There’s always a bigger fish, isn’t there,” she finally said with a little chuckle. “Facing Kong down puts the fear of God in full-grown men, but he’s not even going to faze you, is he?”

“Does he shoot lasers?”

Truly laughing now, Mason shook her head. “And the rest of Monarch calls _us_ crazy.”

Kong seemed to hesitate once he was close enough to really see Maddie, who remained sitting for the time being. Either he was eager enough to see Mason to be willing to ignore her, or he determined she was of no threat to him, because he didn’t do much more than huff before stepping right up to the cliff’s edge.

After reaching out to Titans so many times, it was weird to be the one watching someone else do it. Kong’s breaths were loud and his facial expressions had a wider range than most. His eyes—a soft reddish-brown—tracked Mason as she greeted him, only occasionally flicking over to land on Maddie.

“I’ve brought a friend,” Mason eventually said. Taking that as her cue, Maddie carefully got to her feet. “She’s just about the last person I know right now who would even think to try anything,” she continued. “Please, give her a chance, old friend.”

Kong grunted but didn’t move away, and since Maddie considered herself well-versed in being able to tell when a Titan’s vocalizations were threatening or angry, she went to stand beside Mason.

Some people found it strange when Maddie talked conversationally to Titans. _It’s not like they can respond,_ they usually reminded her as if she were only a stupid kid. But they were the idiots in her book, because they _did_ respond, they just didn’t do it in English. Today, though, she was in like-minded company.

“Hi,” Maddie said, not yet reaching out. “My name’s Maddie.”

His eyes were firmly locked on her now. He grunted again, this time raising his upper lip a little as he did, exposing his teeth in what might’ve been read as aggression by most others. But she’d seen Godzilla’s sharp-toothed attempts to smile.

“Nice to meet you too. Your island’s really beautiful. I haven’t seen much of it yet, but I’d like to.”

Kong turned away to gaze at the rolling valley and mountainous hills. A river snaked through them, disappearing into the thin trees on the other end of the field. There was green everywhere, and the very air smelled fresh and clean. Skull Island, despite its horrors, was the picture of untouched life. He puffed his chest out with obvious pride when he looked back to Maddie.

“You take care of it, right?”

He nodded. That was what always most bewildered her. They could nod and shake their heads in response to yes or no questions—they _did_ answer like this, frequently—and _still,_ people were stupid enough to call them dumb animals.

“You do a good job,” Maddie told him, entirely honest. She spared a glance back at Mason, who had her elbow propped up in one hand, with the other pressed against her mouth. She looked a little bit like she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, which felt important. Mason didn’t seem like someone who cried easily. “A lot of you guys make good protectors.”

Kong jerked his chin up a little and snorted.

Maddie raised her shoulders in a long, not-shrug. “I wish more people realized that.”

She met his eyes without fear or flinching. They were different from a lot of the other Titans whose eyes she’d seen up close. Some bore an unnatural color, while others glowed faintly. Or both. Kong’s were a shade not too far off from a human’s and though they were bright in the sun, she couldn’t see any internal light behind them.

He leaned forward slightly, and Maddie smiled, small and without teeth. She pressed first one hand, then the other, against the sparse, coarse hair on the end of his tough-skinned nose. And when he didn’t pull away, she bent her head forward to rest her forehead against him in the approximation of a hug she always used with the others.

Kong didn’t so much as twitch until Maddie herself stepped back after a long, peaceful moment.

Mason’s hand was shaking a tiny bit when she laid it against Maddie’s back. “What do you say, Kong? Should we show Maddie around a little?”

He responded with a deep, throaty noise before lifting his hand and holding it level with the cliff, palm up and waiting. Mason hopped over as if she’d done it a thousand times, and then turned back to hold out a hand for Maddie.

“Shall we?” she asked, looking and sounding decades younger. “After all, there’s no safer place—”

“—than by a Titan’s side,” Maddie finished with a grin. She took Mason’s hand and joined her.

**Author's Note:**

> Gosh, I’m having emotions about these two. If there isn’t a wonderful scene about someone (preferably Maddie, imo) doing this in GvK, I’m going to riot. 
> 
> Anyway, I didn’t have a particular verse in mind when I wrote this, so it feels a little bit like a mashup of different elements from different stories of mine. Oh whale. 
> 
> who’s the best? you are! thanks for being amazing! (as always, [the tumblr](https://star-going-supernova.tumblr.com))


End file.
